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The first week, he was suspicious.
Dazai was startled back to reality by the sound of glass being placed down on the table in front of him. He paused his game as he scrutinized it. It was a bowl half-filled with steaming rice, clearly having just been made.
"Chibi?" He turned his gaze to the man who sat next to him, eating from a bowl of his own, "Is this your attempt at poisoning me?"
The redhead in question paused and turned to look at him, "No? It's dinner."
Dazai hummed at that. As he picked up a single chopstick to poke around the bowl, he continued talking, "Doesn't Chuuya usually make more... Grand meals?"
He snorted in amusement, covering his mouth in a way that wasn't unlike how Kouyou would, "Today's my day off, dumbass," he said, the affection in his tone making Dazai's skin crawl, "I'm not moving around a lot, so I'm just not hungry. ...Did you want something more?"
"I didn't want anything in the first place..." He muttered. The act of eating made him nauseous most days, and the days it didn't, it didn't taste particularly good. He heard from others that Chuuya's cooking was good, but he couldn't let himself get his hopes up when he knew it would taste like everything else.
Chuuya's expression predictably soured and he turned silent. While externally Dazai matched his volume, internally his mind was buzzing. He knew he would be upset, but was it really that important to him? Was it some kind of tradition? He didn't have the slightest on why Chuuya would have a tradition like that in the first place. Would he leave him?
The executive sighed in annoyance, "I... Made a little extra on accident. I didn't make you any on purpose," he said before promptly returning to eating.
Oh. His eyes shifted back to the bowl. If that was the case, then... He supposed it wouldn't hurt.
Dazai picked up his chopsticks and ate.
---
The second week, he was reluctant.
Chuuya had been 'accidentally making extra' for the past week. By now, Dazai figured out that it was just a bluff to get him to eat. Still, the withering glare his partner shot him when he tried to refuse is what kept him going, essentially locking him in the cycle he fell into.
Dazai yelped when he was met with a death grip the moment he walked through the front door, his feet slipping off the ground as the shorter man spun him around. It was short-lived of course, and Dazai was, for once, left speechless as the chibi walked away like nothing happened.
What... What just happened?
While the detective was still trying to process what the hell just occurred, Chuuya got to work plating the food. Two plates. Why two?
"Did Chuuya fry his brain? I think your math is off," he commented as he busied himself with taking off his shoes. The visual of his jacket hanging next to Chuuya's and his hat felt so disgustingly domestic, he wanted to throw up.
"What do you mean?" The redhead asked as he set the plates on the table. He made a B line for the fridge as well and took out a bottle of water, placing it by one of the plates and sitting in front of the other.
Dazai approached the table cautiously, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt as he spoke, "I already ate today..."
Chuuya raised a brow at him, "And? You're eating again. Sit down."
His mouth went dry. Again? And he was actually going to be eating Chibi's cooking this time. For the past week, it's been things like rice or takeout. It was curry today. And from the looks of it, he was being forced to drink water too. Dazai passed a glance to Chuuya to see if he could get out of the situation, and nope, definitely not. So, he begrudgingly walked over, practically collapsing on the chair (perhaps too sassily, according to Chuuya).
Before he could even think about what he was about to do, his partner pressed something small into his palm. It was a pill...? He shot a questioning look to the other.
"What's this for?"
"It's an iron pill."
Dazai gagged at the thought. It was like back in the mafia when Hirotsu kept trying to con him into checkups so he could get an IV in him.
"Why would I need an iron pill?" He groaned in protest, tossing the thing carelessly across the room, which Chuuya quickly picked back up with his ability, which Dazai immediately canceled with his own.
Chuuya sighed and got up to throw the pill away, "Because you're deficient??" He said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Dazai craned his head in an attempt to see where Chuuya was getting the pills from when he was attacked by a handtowel! He did not scream and definitely did not struggle to rip the thing off his face. When he finally slammed it on the floor in a deserved fit of revenge, his partner was back in his seat, holding out his hand.
He was hesitant, but his hand inched closer to his until it rested against it faintly. Chuuya then took hold of it and turned it upwards, placing a new pill in its middle.
"It'll make you feel better," he promised, his eyes slowly moving to meet his, "You complain about being lightheaded all the time. This'll help."
Dazai reeled back and pressed his lips into a thin line. Those damn eyes. Chuuya swore up and down he never used puppy dog eyes, but Dazai would argue otherwise. Because that was his default look. He always looked like that. He liked to think he wasn't weak to childish persuasion such as this, but...
He sighed and slouched forward, taking the pill between his fingers, placing it on the back of his tongue, and swallowing. Though, the way Chibi cringed when he saw was almost worth it.
"Now," Chuuya tapped Dazai's plate to draw his attention to it as if he were talking to a cat, "Eat."
The brunette almost vomited in his mouth but picked up his spoon anyway, digging it into the thick substance and slipping it into his mouth. His eyes widened, pupils dilating.
Oh. Chibi really can cook.
---
The third week, he was accepting.
He woke up in the morning to the smell of fresh pancakes and the sight of his partner at the table nursing a cup of coffee. This time, he ate his fill without complaint, not commenting on how he was given a larger portion than usual, and Chuuya didn't comment on how he ate it all regardless.
Once he was finished, Chuuya told him his lunch was on the counter and wished him a good day, and Dazai told him he would because he would finally be rid of him.
Then, when he got home back to Chuuya's flat, the smaller man picked him up and spun him again. He gave Dazai his pills for the night, which more had been added throughout the week, and he took them without so much as a blink of an eye. And he ate dinner like it was second nature.
---
He checked once. Then again. Then again.
Dazai definitely gained weight. He stared down the scale below him and the bright blue numbers blinking up at him, the ten pounds more taunting the longer he looked. It's not like he didn't notice. Lately, his stomach protruded against his shirt more than he was used to, and his clothes felt snugger than months prior, but he'd been trying to ignore it. He didn't care about how others looked, but...
His breath hitched into a sob. He was delusional enough to strip to weigh himself as if his clothes being off would change anything- now he was stuck staring at his own horrible body that only proved the numbers right. Fat, ugly, not good enough, taking up too much space.
Chuuya was currently at war with himself. Dazai had been in the bathroom for a while, and he was getting worried. He groaned, sinking into the couch as he tapped the expensive leather anxiously. It's not like a person couldn't take long in the bathroom, maybe he was worried for nothing...
His bottom half sank off the couch, leaving only his shoulders propped up by the seat. But he was worried. Surely it wouldn't hurt to come by and see if anything was wrong...
With newfound determination, Chuuya jolted upwards and padded over to the bathroom. Initially, he didn't hear anything. But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he heard a sob. Okay, well maybe he wasn't worried for nothing. With only a little hesitation, he opened the door, his eyes scanning the room for the familiar mop of brown hair.
Dazai was in the corner, naked, sobbing his eyes out. His body was curled up tightly in a ball like he was trying to make himself seem as small as physically possible, his face buried deep in his knees to hide. Chuuya took a few steps closer, his stomach tightening at the way he curled up more.
He reached out a hand, "Dazai-"
"You!"
He flinched back in surprise, blinking curiously at the man, "Me...?"
"You!" He nodded
Chuuya's eyes narrowed. That tone of voice was one Dazai used when he was small. And he wasn't the type to regress without some kind of trigger, so something must have happened.
He sat down slowly and steadily, being careful not to accidentally spook the brunette further than he already was.
"'Samu..." He cooed softly, finally reaching out and running a hand through his partner's hair, "Can you tell me what's wrong?"
"Y-You..." Dazai stuttered. Was he feeling smaller than usual? "You did it on purpose..."
"Did what on purpose?" He tilted his head, prompting him to continue.
"Made me gain weight..."
His breath started to skip again, and Chuuya felt like the most massive jerk ever. Dazai gaining weight was a good thing. He felt relieved seeing his partner's cheeks fill out and his skin get its color back.
Dazai didn't seem to think so though.
A fresh wave of guilt washed over him at the realization that his attempt at helping may have only caused more harm than good. Sure, he was healthier, but it threw him into another spiral-
No. No. Chuuya shook the thought out of his head. Sometimes stuff like this was for the greater good.
"I..." He inhaled deeply, trying to mentally prepare for the tantrum that was bound to happen, "I did. But-"
Dazai swiftly kicked Chuuya in the stomach, causing his breath to catch in his throat as he was thrown back.
"Stupid! Stupid Chibi! Hat for brains!" He immediately started spewing insults, kicking and punching aimlessly so Chuuya couldn't get anywhere near him.
"Dazai!" He growled, holding his arms up to shield himself, "Calm down!"
"No! Nononono-"
"Osamu!"
Dazai froze, the room suffocatingly silent aside from the occasional hiccup. Chuuya smiled and took this as his chance to get closer, gently pulling the taller man into his lap.
"There ya go..." He shushed, rubbing circles into the other's back in what he could only hope was soothing, "Good boy."
Dazai's breathing sputtered at the praise while his body did the opposite, relaxing into his body instantly. Chibi's voice felt like honey to his oversensitive ears, soothing him like a sore throat.
"Listen to me, okay?" He whispered, fumbling for Dazai's hand and grasping it firmly, "You were underweight before this. I didn't do it to hurt you..."
"But..." He sniveled, using his free hand to paw at his tears, "Take up too much space... Better used for other people."
"I was scared you were gonna pass out or worse, 'Samu..." He had to bite the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from letting out a sob of his own, instead tightening his grip on the man, "Trust me, every person that takes up space matters, including you. Especially you. You're no less important than anyone else."
"But 'm ugly..." He turned around, "Chibi won't... Love..." And trailed off.
"Gaining weight doesn't make you ugly, Sweetie. And I definitely won't stop loving you because you do..."
Dazai's eyes widened, "Really?" He whimpered.
Chuuya kissed the top of his head, smiling when his partner whined in embarrassment, "Really. I'll love you no matter what size you are, I just want you to be happy and healthy."
Dazai squeezed his hands and huffed, collapsing into Chuuya's chest and nuzzling into his collarbone, "'M still mad at Chuuya."
"That's okay," he said, despite the sting he felt, "You can be mad at me. But now that you know what I've been doing, can I have your permission to keep doing it?"
He shrugged, "I dunno..."
"Well, how about I ask this: have you felt better since I started doing this?"
Dazai nodded.
"Then why don't we keep doing it for a bit longer..." He adjusted his hold on him, squeezing his hand reassuringly, "...And we see how it goes?"
"But..." He squeezed back, "I dunno how to... Get better."
"Then I'll help you."